Field of Invention
The present invention relates to High Dynamic Range Displays (HDR), and more particularly to HDR displays using dual modulation.
Discussion of Background
High Dynamic Range (HDR) displays are generally defined as having a dynamic range of greater than 800 to 1. Recent advances in technology have produced displays claiming contrast ratios of more than 1,000,000 to 1.
Generally speaking, these higher contrast ratio HDR displays utilize local dimming of the backlight that illuminates the LCD panel. An early patent in this area, U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,672, by Whitehead, Ward, Stuerzlinger, and Seetzen entitled “HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE DISPLAY DEVICES” describes the fundamental techniques. Such techniques include illuminating the LCD panel with an approximation of a desired image and then further modulating the approximation with the LCD panel so that it approaches the desired image.
Other forms of improving contrast have also been presented, including “darkening” of an LCOS projected image through the use of an LCD panel (Berman), and the use of multiple registered modulating layers or premodulators (e.g., Blackham U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,142, Gibbon U.S. Pat. No. 7,050,122, and others). However, commercially available HDR displays have deficiencies in reproducing starfields and other challenging images mainly due to parallax, backlight leakage, and other issues, and artifacts resulting therefrom.